Supervisor sick — not absent, says clerk

JOHNSBURG | Johnsburg town clerk Jo A. Smith said she would like it to be made clear that supervisor Ron Vanselow has been medically unable to work or attend town board meetings for most of the year.

Smith said she has been getting calls from people, some of them even stopping into the town offices, to say they think news articles are misrepresenting Vanselow’s absence.

In an article published on Aug. 7 outlining local races, for instance, the writer referred to Vanselow as having heart bypass surgery in February, adding, “... and has not been at meetings for most of the year.”

“The press is kind of putting him down,” Smith said. “I can tell you the man loved his job and would be there if he could. He has lost vision because of the stroke, and it breaks my heart to think people are stating he is just not at the meetings. He cannot medically be at the meetings,” Smith said.

Vanselow had a six-way coronary bypass on Feb. 28 at the Albany Medical Center. She said he returned home on March 8 and within hours suffered a stroke and was readmitted to the Albany Medical Center.

Smith said Vanselow suffered a second stroke on July 7, and he is currently in rehab at the Adirondack Tri-County Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Center.

“There has been a lot of talk about the supervisor being out, but nobody stresses the issue that he has had two massive strokes and is in rehab. The family has been through so much - they (newspapers) should have explained,” Smith said.

In the interim, deputy supervisor Eugene Arsenault has been filling in for Vanselow. Arsenault was appointed to the town board in 1987 and elected in 1988.

“He has stepped up to the plate to do what he can in the absence of the supervisor,” Smith said.

In July, the board named Arsenault as the town’s budget officer in order to prepare next year’s budget.

Two people are now running to Johnsburg supervisor: Councilman Peter Olesheski Jr. and Andrea Hogan.

Three people are running for two board positions: incumbents Katharine Nightingale and Arnold Stevens, along with Laurie Prescott Arnheiter.

Highway supervisor Daniel Hitchcock is being challenged by Frederick Comstock.